Looking for Ways to Fix a Broken USB Stick? Here’s a Guide

Nowadays, USB flash drives are among the most frequently utilized removable storage devices for everyday tasks. Given how commonly these portable storage tools are used, USB flash drives can become corrupted surprisingly easily, which can be particularly troubling if you depend on them for important data storage. This is where this post comes in to explore how to fix a broken USB stick.

Troubleshooting or repairing the USB drive should never be your first step. If your USB holds critical files, data recovery should always come first. This is because some repairing methods, like formatting, will remove all files on it and make secure data recovery more difficult.

In the next section, you will learn how to carry out a USB data recovery first. Ensure your broken USB can be detected by Windows and USB data recovery software. If not, the following recovery solution may not suit you, and you can skip to the repairing part. After repairing, try recovering again.

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Action 1. Recover Data from a Broken USB Stick

In terms of recovering data from a USB drive, MiniTool Power Data Recovery is the best choice. It can recover files in various situations, even if the USB drive greyed out, becomes RAW, the file system is damaged, or the device is not accessible.

In addition to dealing with serious USB drive problems, this free data recovery software is compatible with multiple file systems such as FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. Moreover, it features a file preview option before recovery, boasts an intuitive interface, and allows for 1 GB of free data recovery, making recovery straightforward and secure.

Now, press the download button below to get MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free and utilize it to recover files from your USB drive.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1. Scan Your USB Drive

Open MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free, and its main interface will appear. Your USB drive should be visible under Logical Drives with a USB icon. Locate it, hover your cursor over it, and click the Scan button to initiate the file scanning process.

If you encounter difficulty finding the desired USB partition here, you can navigate to the Devices tab next to Logical Drives and scan the entire USB disk.

Various factors can influence the scanning duration, so it’s crucial to let the scan finish to ensure optimal scan results.

Step 2. Locate and Preview Desired Files

Once the scanning process is finished, you can check the results and find the files you wish to recover. By default, the found files are organized according to their original folder structure under the Path tab. You can expand the folders and subfolders to locate the specific files or directories you intend to restore.

Alternatively, switching to the Type tab will display files according to their file type and format, like documents, photos, videos, and others.

To help you quickly find the files you require, the MiniTool data recovery tool also includes three additional features:

• Filter: Refine the scanning results based on file type, file size, modification date, and file category.
• Search: Type part or all of the file name in the search bar and press Enter to quickly locate specific files.
• Preview: Most file types can be previewed without limitations, and some file types can be previewed up to 100 MB. Simply double-click a file or click the Preview button to access the preview window.

Step 3. Save the Needed Files

After checking the files, select all the necessary files and click the Save button within the scan results window to save them collectively. A new window will appear, prompting you to select a secure location for the recovered files and click OK. You need to recover them to another location different from the original location, which can cause data overwrite.

When the recovery process is finished, you can navigate to the designated directory to view and use the files you recovered. Keep in mind that recovery exceeding 1 GB is not available in the free version and requires an upgrade to the full edition.

Action 2. Fix a Broken USB Stick with Logical Damage

If your USB’s file system or software is corrupted for some reason, which indicates it suffers from logical damage, it can be repaired on Windows by yourself with the following steps, according to your actual situation.

There are lots of factors that can cause a USB stick to be logically damaged and seem to be broken, including:

• Ejecting Incorrectly: Disconnecting your USB flash drive while it is in the process of transferring data, formatting, or accessing a file can quickly lead to corruption.
• Outdated Drivers: If the drivers become corrupted or are not up to date, this may cause the drive to not be recognized correctly.
• Disabled USB Ports: It’s possible that your USB ports are turned off, or the cable connecting the USB ports in your computer case to the motherboard is damaged.
• Malware Infection: Your USB flash drive is susceptible to getting infected with malware.
• Compatibility Problems: Your USB drive may not actually be damaged; it might instead be formatted with a file system that is incompatible with your operating system.

After learning some possible causes of a broken USB flash drive, let’s jump into the specific methods on how to repair a broken USB flash drive.

Scenario 1. USB Drive Becomes Unreadable

USB flash drive corruption can lead to problems with accessibility and readability. When your USB flash drive is no longer readable, follow the breakdown below to resolve it.

Step 1. Format the USB in Disk Management:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
2. In the Disk Management window, locate your unreadable USB, right-click it, and choose Format. Choose a file system like NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT and check the box of Perform a quick format. Next, click OK.

Step 2. Delete and Create a New Partition:

1. In Disk Management, find the corrupted USB drive, then right-click on it and choose Delete Volume.
2. Follow the prompts on the screen and click Yes to confirm the deletion of the volume on the USB drive.
3. Once the USB drive is converted to unallocated space, right-click that unallocated area and select New Simple Volume.

Scenario 2. USB Drive Cannot Be Detected

If your computer can’t recognize your USB flash drive, it may be triggered to its outdated or corrupted USB drive. You can try these steps to fix it.

Step 1. Update or Uninstall Your USB:

1. Press Win + X and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand Disk drives and locate your USB drive.
3. Right-click the USB drive and choose Properties.
4. Go to the Driver tab. You can opt to either Update Driver or Uninstall Device. When you select Update Driver, choose the option to Search automatically for drivers in the pop-up window. If you choose Uninstall Device, you should reconnect your USB flash drive once the uninstallation process is complete. The driver will automatically reinstall itself.

Step 2. Use Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter:

1. Press Win + X and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press Enter.
3. The Hardware and Devices window will appear. Then, click Next and follow the provided instructions to resolve your computer problems.

Scenario 3. USB Drive Becomes RAW

Your USB drive might appear as RAW for two reasons: first, the file system has become corrupted and is no longer usable; second, it uses a file system that your operating system does not recognize. As a result, Windows may continuously indicate that the USB drive is malfunctioning and requires formatting. Don’t worry; you can still recover data from RAW USB flash drive. Here’s how to format it:

Option 1. Format Your USB in File Explorer:

1. Press Windows + E to launch Windows Explorer.
2. Navigate to the This PC section, right-click on your USB drive, and select Format.
3. In the window that appears, choose a file system from the dropdown menu, set a volume label, check the Quick Format option, and then click Start.

Option 2. Format Your USB Using Diskpart:

1. Type cmd in the Windows search bar, then right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt window, input the following commands, pressing Enter after each one.
3. diskpart
4. list disk
5. select disk * (* should be replaced with the number of your USB disk)
6. list partition
7. select partition * (* indicates the number of the desired partition on the USB drive)
8. format fs=fat32 quick

You can substitute FAT32 with a different file system, such as NTFS or exFAT, based on your requirements. The quick option allows for rapid formatting by bypassing surface checks.

Scenario 4. USB Drive Not Showing Up

The USB flash drive not recognized or showing up issue is probably because your USB drive hasn’t been given a valid drive letter. Windows needs every storage device to have a drive letter assigned before it can access or modify files. Therefore, consider assigning a drive letter for your USB.

1. Press Win + X to open the Power User menu and choose Disk Management.
2. Right-click on the USB drive.
3. Select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
4. Hit the Add button.
5. Pick a preferred drive letter and click the OK button to confirm.

Scenario 5. USB Flash Drive Becomes Corrupted

File system errors, bad sectors, and corrupted files in your USB can cause it to be corrupted. Here are two feasible methods you can give them a shot to fix a corrupted flash drive without formatting.

Step 1. Run the Error Checking Tool:

1. Connect your broken USB flash drive to your computer. Open This PC.
2. Right-click your USB and choose Properties.
3. Navigate to the Tools tab and click the Check button under the Error checking section.
4. In the pop-up window, select the Scan drive option. Wait for the tool to scan and repair your USB drive. If any error is found, you can proceed with the wizard to fix it.
5. Safely eject the flash drive. Re-connect it to see if it’s now readable.

Step 2. Deploy CHKDSK Scanning:

1. Type cmd into the Windows Search bar, right-click the appropriate result, and select Run as administrator.
2. Type the command: chkdsk X: /f /r /x, making sure to replace “X” with the letter corresponding to your USB drive, then press Enter.
3. Allow the process to complete, then check if your USB is functioning properly.

Scenario 6. USB Drive Infected with Malware

As mentioned above, malware infection can cause the USB to become broken. There are several ways to kill or remove viruses from USB drives. Here, we focus on how to utilize Windows Defender for scanning your USB drive and removing viruses.

1. Use the Win + I key combination to access Settings. 
2. Navigate to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
3. Below Quick scan, click on Scan options.
4. Choose the Custom scan option and then click Scan now to select a location.
5. In the following window, choose the USB drive you want to scan and click Select Folder.
6. Patiently wait for the scan to be completed. If you encounter any prompts, please adhere to the instructions that appear on-screen.

Scenario 7. USB Drive Is Read-Only

If you receive a message saying “The disk is write-protected” or cannot store any new data on it but can only read data on it, your USB is in read-only mode.

Some USB drives have a physical write protection switch on the side or a button. If yours has this switch, you can try to turn it off to fix it. If not, follow the instructions to disable the read-only mode.

Way 1. Modify the Registry Key:

1. Press Win + S, type registry editor, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
3. Double-click on the write Protection key, set its value to 0, and click OK.
4. If StorageDevicePolicies doesn’t exist, right-click on the Control key, select New > Key, and rename it as StorageDevicePolicies.
5. Right-click on StorageDevicePolicies, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it write Protection.
6. Double-click write Protection and set its value to 0.

Way 2. Run DiskPart Command:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type diskpart and click OK.
3. In the DiskPart window, type list disk and hit Enter to see all disks.
4. Type select disk X (replace X with your USB drive’s number) and hit Enter.
5. Type attributes disk clear readonly and hit Enter to disable read-only mode.
6. Close the command window and check if you can modify the data on the drive.

Scenario 8. USB Drive Greyed Out

The USB drive may get corrupted during the formatting and be greyed out in This PC. If you encounter this issue, you can follow the steps to fix a broken USB stick.

Step 1. Reinstall the USB Mass Storage Device:

1. Press Win + X to open the WinX menu and select Device Manager.
2. Unfold the Universal Serial Bus Controller category, right-click the USB Mass Storage Device driver, and select Uninstall device.
3. Next, click Uninstall to confirm the action.

Step 2. Use a USB Repair Tool:

1. Download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard. It’s a free partition manager that can check for bad sectors, repair file system errors, and manage partitions.

MiniTool Partition Wizard FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

2. Open MiniTool Partition Wizard, select the USB drive’s partition, and click Check File System in the left panel.

3. In the pop-up window, choose Check & fix detected errors and click Start to repair.

4. To check for bad sectors, select the drive, select Surface Test, and then click Start Now. Red-marked blocks indicate bad sectors.

Scenario 9. USB Ports Is Disabled

Sometimes, the USB driver may not be broken. If you can’t transfer data from two devices via a USB port, the USB port might be blocked. In this case, enabling the USB port can fix the issue.

Step 1. Unblock USB Storage Devices Using the Device Manager:

1. Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
2. Expand the section for Universal Serial Bus controllers. Right-click on the USB controller you wish to disable or enable for USB storage, and select Enable device from the options that appear. Confirm your choice when prompted.

Step 2. Switch USB Selective Suspend Setting:

1. Type Control Panel in the Windows Search bar and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options, then, under the Preferred plans section, click Change plan settings next to the Balanced (recommended) option.
3. In the new interface, expand USB settings, then look for the USB selective suspend setting. Set the options for both On battery and Plugged in to Disabled. After that, click Apply and then OK.

Scenario 10. USB Keeps Disconnecting and Reconnecting

Perhaps, when you plug a USB device into the computer, the USB hub inconsistently and randomly disconnects and reconnects by itself. Before trying to fix the issue that USB keeps disconnecting, you need to ensure the problem is not due to a Windows issue. Here, we talk about one solution to solve it:

1. Open Device Manager and find Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Right-click on Standard USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller, select Properties, and go to the Power Management tab.
3. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, then click OK.

Action 3. Fix a Broken USB Stick with Physical Damage

If your USB has some visible physical damage, like broken connectors, cracked circuit boards, water damage, or severe damage to the internal components, you may need to perform some professional and complex technical operations to fix a broken USB stick.

Below are some factors that cause a USB to suffer from physical damage:

• Dropping or hitting the USB may cause a bent or damaged connector, significant impact, or a shattered casing.
• Damage from water or humidity.
• Exposure to extreme temperatures.
• Normal wear and tear.
• …

Situation 1. USB Device Is Bent

If your USB drive is warped, you might attempt to gently reshape it. Exercise caution with this approach. Applying excessive pressure may break the internal circuit board, making your data impossible to recover.

Situation 2. USB Port Is Broken

If your USB port is malfunctioning, consider these simple troubleshooting steps:

1. Remove Dust: Blow gently into the USB port to eliminate any dust or debris.
2. Clean the Port: If it’s dirty, turn off your device and clean the port using a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol. Allow it to dry before powering it back on.
3. Check for Damage: Examine the port for any bent connector pins.

Additionally, inspect the USB flash drive:

1. Blow on the metal connector to clear off dust.
2. Utilize a USB 3.0 port for improved power output and avoid using USB hubs.
3. Connect directly to the motherboard, as ports on the case might not work properly.

If you find any severe physical damage, it may be essential to seek professional repair services.

Bottom Line

To sum up, this post talks about how to fix a broken USB stick and covers several common problems a broken USB might encounter. No matter which error you are facing, it is essential to recover data from your USB first, and you should be able to find helpful guidance here.

If the problem continues after these measures, the USB drive might be defective and could require replacement. Should the USB drive still be within its warranty period, consider reaching out to the manufacturer for assistance.

If you encounter any issues or have any questions when using MiniTool products, please send an email to the support team via [email protected].